Barr Pharmaceuticals CEO Elected GPhA Chairman

Wendy K. Bodine, Assistant Editor

Published Online: Saturday, April 1, 2006

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The Generic Pharmaceuticals
Association (GPhA) has announced
the election of Bruce L.
Downey, chairman and chief executive
officer (CEO) of Barr Generic Pharmaceutical
Inc (Woodcliff Lake, NJ), as chairman
of its Board of Directors for 2006-
2007. He succeeds Heather Bresch,
senior vice president of strategic corporate
development for Mylan
Laboratories Inc, after serving as vicechairman
last year. Downey has been
an active member of GPhA, as well as
its prior organizations, for many years
and has already served several terms
on the board's Executive Committee.

"We are pleased to welcome Mr.
Downey as our new chairman," said
Kathleen Jaeger, GPhA president and
CEO. "He has been an outspoken advocate
for the generic industry and a
leader in efforts to make generic biopharmaceuticals
a reality in the United
States. Downey's extensive industry
knowledge and experience will help us
in our efforts to lead America into a
healthy future."

Downey has testified before the
House Committee on Energy and Commerce
(subcommittee on health) on
behalf of GPhA and its member companies.
He also has represented Barr and
GPhA before both the House and the
Senate and often appears before the
financial press on CNBC and Bloomberg
Media. Prior to becoming involved in
the generic pharmaceutical industry,
Downey practiced law in the area of
civil litigation, where he represented
corporate clients on a broad range of
issues before federal and state courts
and agencies of the federal government.

Downey became a member of the
Board of Directors of Barr Pharmaceuticals
in January 1993 and was elected
chairman of the board and CEO of
the company in February 1994. From
January 1993 to December 1999, he also
served as president of the company.
From 1981 to 1993, Downey was a partner
in the law firm of Winston & Strawn
and a predecessor firm, Bishop, Cook,
Purcell & Reynolds. For 3 years prior to
joining Barr, Downey served as the company's
legal counsel.

Downey foresees continued progress
for the generic drug industry and hopes
to assist GPhA in accelerating that
progress in his capacity as chairman. He
said that he is proud to serve alongside
the other elected members of GPhA's
Executive Board: Heather Bresch, vice
chairman; Rosendo Ferran, senior consultant,
New Chemic Inc, who will
serve as secretary-treasurer; and
William Marth, president and CEO, Teva
Pharmaceuticals USA, and Michael
Collins, group president, Mallinckrodt Inc,
who will serve as at-large members.

Downey expressed an expectation
that GPhA can continue to accelerate
legislative interest in generic biopharmaceuticals.
He would like to see the
FDA implement in the near future an
abbreviated approval pathway for
generic biopharmaceuticals that utilizes
the existing provisions already provided
under the Hatch/Waxman Act.

He also voiced concern over the
growth of so-called authorized generics.
He hopes to see the FDA honor "true
exclusivity"that is, "the first generic to
file during the 180-day period should be
honored as the authorized generic [for
that drug]," he said. GPhA hopes that
Congress will reevaluate the FDA's
interpretation of allowing authorized
generics and, in the intention of the provision
laid out in the Hatch/Waxman
Act, allow true generics the opportunity
to be the only generic product during
the exclusivity period, while providing
patients with lower-priced drugs.

Downey also sees the consolidation
of pharmaceutical companies as a benefit
to the industry in general. As struggling
companies are aided by their
stronger counterparts, both companies
become better and produce a higherquality
product. He says that "consolidation
serves a purpose to make companies
better," as they come together to
form "a stronger individual company."

Downey said that he is honored to
serve as GPhA's chairman. He looks forward
to working with Jaeger and his fellow
board members to advance the
interests of generic pharmaceutical
companies and keep them growing
stronger for years to come.